Do It Yourself Plumbing - An Israel Necessity

Sunday marks the start of the week in Israel and what better way to begin the week than with a good blog post. I have a number of ideas going round in my head. I could write about the weather with the latest good rain and how much of a blessing that is. I could take a look at the progress in the level of the Kineret, always a good topic for discussion. I could write about my latest goals and ideas. But, my day began with one of those do-it-yourself tasks that are an "only in Israel" moment and my day is ending with completing the final phase of the task, so I guess, we'll chat about do-it-yourself plumbing, an Israel necessity.

Have you ever taken a bath and found your bathmat soaked from the water seeping out of the edges of those covers to the holes in the floor? If you know what I am talking about, what is your first response? Do you reach for your list of service providers, call your plumber and have him clean out your drains? Do you call your landlord, tell him that the drains are blocked again and have him come over to clear them out? Or do you open the covers to the holes to the plumbing and prepare for a good hour or a few of clearing out your drains? If you have become an expert in do-it-yourself plumbing in Israel then you might be familiar with the snake used to "snake the drain". Quite an odd term which entails taking a long metal spring and placing it in the pipes, twisting until it comes through most easily and then preparing to clean out the mess that has come free. 

It's not the most pleasant task one can imagine. Many will put down some kind of anti-kalk material or bleech or boiling water or a combination. Using something to provide a nicer aroma is a good idea too. After this time consuming task comes cleaning the snake and placing it to dry well. It's not a good idea to put away wet metal as it can result in rusting. Hence the hours and hours that this task can entail. Before you know it, the whole day has gone by as you finally put away the neatly coiled snake. 

Just another day in the life of an Olah in Israel. One of the joys to look forward to if you are considering Aliyah. Not everyone fancies the idea of clearing out their own drains. However, with the sediment that naturally builds up, cleaning out the drains every few months - approximately 6 months is a necessity to having healthy plumbing. You do have a choice of course but that choice is partly dependent on your bank account and income. If saving wherever you can is important, then this task is one of the musts to learn early on in your Aliyah. If you have a good income, then you can of course call in a plumber or a teen wanting to earn a bit of pocket money or even a fellow Oleh needing to earn a bit on the side. 

I must say that I am very relieved to have completed the task and be ready to head off for a well earned nights rest. In the next few days we can discuss some more exciting ideas. For now I'm turning in and wish you all a blessed evening and peaceful nights sleep. Pleasant dreams to all.

Shoshanah Shear

Chessed Ve'Emet